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Programme & Admission
Programme & Admission
https://www.med.cuhk.edu.hk/study/prospective-students/postgraduate-study/programme-and-admissionhttps://www.med.cuhk.edu.hk/study/prospective-students/postgraduate-study/programme-and-admission
Postgraduate Studies at CU Medicine
Anaesthesia and Intensive Care
The Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care’s Research Postgraduate Programme gives students the medical knowledge and technical skills needed to investigate and solve complex medical problems in fields like anaesthesia, pain medicine and critical care.
You will have the opportunity to be mentored by both a primary supervisor from the Department and a co-supervisor who may be from outside the Department. Whether you opt for our laboratory or clinical programme, you will develop strong research skills under the guidance of leading experts as you explore areas such as pain mechanisms, perioperative medicine, mechanistic research in sepsis and intensive care unit-related infections, drug pharmacokinetics in critically ill patients and decision-making in intensive care management. Many of our graduates have grown into leaders in biomedical research, private enterprises, academia and clinical medicine.
We will strongly encourage you to present your research findings at international conferences and will supplement the standard Graduate School Conference Grant offered to each student with an additional HK$8,000 per year. As many research projects are funded via competitive grants awarded to Faculty members or by our participation in international research networks, our insights often result in high-impact publications that transform medical practices. Some examples of our pioneering laboratory-based projects on neuroscience, pain mechanisms, sepsis genomics and the microbiome can be found here.
Anatomical and Cellular Pathology
The Department offers two research-oriented postgraduate programmes – Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) and Master of Philosophy (MPhil) – designed to help students fight the type of cancers prevalent in Asian populations by investigating issues like cancer genetic and genomics.
You will have the opportunity to leverage our Pathology Department’s expertise in the pathological analysis of cancer samples and clinical-pathological correlation to conduct basic and translational studies informed by unique clinical-pathology data sets. The active support of our leading pathology service also ensures that your research insights can be rapidly translated into new medical approaches that will help cancer patients.
Both programmes are centred on laboratory-based research work performed in our state-of-the-art technology platforms, while you will also attend presentations, seminars and workshops before submitting a written research thesis and passing an oral examination to graduate.
More than a hundred students have already received a PhD or MPhil from the Department before embarking on careers ranging from academia and medicine to research and health administration.
If you are passionate about cancer research in the areas indicated below, you are welcomed to contact potential supervisors by email to discuss your research interests or simply send your CV and a brief research interest statement to acprpg@cuhk.edu.hk for review.
Research areas | Professor |
Molecular genetics and genomics of common Asian cancers | |
Molecular Basis of EBV-associated Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma | |
Biomarkers in brain cancers | |
The underlying molecular pathogenesis and aberrant signalling transduction in gastric cancer | |
Childhood and adult acute and chronic leukaemia, plasma cell myeloma, thalassemia, and thrombophilic disorders | |
Reactivation of Innate Immunity in the Tumour Microenvironments | |
The roles of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in the pathogenesis and progression of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) |
Biomedical Sciences
The first of its kind in Hong Kong, CU Medicine’s School of Biomedical Sciences opened in January 2010 following the integration of our Anatomy, Biochemistry, Pharmacology and Physiology Pre-clinical Departments. Dedicated to conducting cutting-edge translational and interdisciplinary research while delivering high-quality education, the School operates three main thematic research programmes: Cancer Biology and Experimental Therapeutics, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, and Neural, Vascular and Metabolic Biology.
Our students-centric philosophy is designed to help you acquire the skills and knowledge you need to explore your interests and pursue your goals. If you are passionate about research, our MPhil-PhD Programme in Biomedical Sciences feature a personalised research curriculum specifically crafted to help you conduct research that may transform medicine. Should you prefer a more conventional approach to learning, our taught Master of Science Programme in Genomics and Bioinformatics will still give you the opportunity to perform individual and team work projects as you attend lectures delivered by our leading Faculty. You should expect to acquire in-depth knowledge across several research areas while maintaining a broad understanding of other fields and complete postgraduate courses covering basic knowledge and essential technical skills in biomedical research, biostatistics, and advanced topics in biomedical sciences. Research students also have the opportunity to choose their research project and supervisor through a laboratory rotation system.
All research projects are supported by research grants, and can be performed in one of our eight cutting-edge communal laboratories in Microscopy & Imaging Core, Histology Core, Flow Cytometry Core, Proteomics Core, Macromolecular & Microarray Core, Bio-fabrication Core, Transgenic Core, and Animal Holding Core. We strongly encourage students to present their research findings in international conferences with conference grants from the School and University. As medicine becomes more global, we also urge you to leverage our extensive international network and work with other world-leading research centres in American, Europe and China. All research students receive a monthly studentship of HK$17,330 (~US$2,220) upon admission.
Chemical Pathology
Chemical Pathology focuses on exploring the molecular, biochemical and immunological changes that occur as part of disease processes and our research agenda is focused on investigating fields such as Plasma Nucleic Acids and Molecular Medicine; Diagnostic Applications of Next-generation DNA Sequencing; Allergic Diseases; Inborn Errors of Metabolism; Bioinformatics; and Stem Cell and Regeneration.
Our research-driven programme is designed to empower you to come up with original study designs, novel experiments and new ways of interpreting data in order to conduct ground-breaking investigations that have the potential to transform medicine. In addition to our world-leading programme in plasma DNA-based molecular diagnostics – especially in the field of non-invasive prenatal testing and cancer detection – you will have access to state-of-the-art research equipment such as next-generation sequencers, digital polymerase chain reaction platforms, flow cytometers, as well as cutting edge bioinformatics and stem cell research facilities as you explore the multi-faceted field of chemical pathology.
Our students are supported by the RGC Theme-based Research Scheme, which is amongst the most competitive level of research funding in Hong Kong. In addition to participating in one major international conference, all students are required to submit a written research thesis and pass an oral examination in order to graduate.
If you want to know more about how our research degree can help you advance your career, please review your potential supervisors' academic profiles and don’t hesitate to contact them directly to discuss your ideas.
Chinese Medicine
The School of Chinese Medicine is committed to advancing Chinese medicine via a ground-breaking research programme that uses state-of-the-art research methods to establish the scientific foundation of Chinese medicine. We also research policies related to Chinese medicine and its role in healthcare systems. Working with partners in Taiwan and mainland China, we have helped develop the Hong Kong Chinese Materia Medica Standards – which sets the standards for many herbal medicines– while working on translating our research insights about Chinese medicine into new clinical practices.
If you are passionate about exploring the scientific potential of Chinese medicine, you will have the opportunity to work with a team of academic leaders from various medical fields, including Chinese medicine practitioners and scientists in neurology, pharmacology, clinical epidemiology and health services research. In addition to Chinese medicine, you will be exposed to other medical disciplines as the core of our research features synergistic interdisciplinary collaborations that aim at investigating new medical solutions inspired by the medical traditions of the East and West.
You will work in our state-of-the-art facilities for pharmaceutical analysis, and basic and translational research, while our Chinese Medicine Specialty Clinic and Teaching and Research Centre will give you the ideal environment to pursue innovative clinical and health services research. As we work closely with The Faculty’s Hong Kong Institute of Integrative Medicine, you will also experience how Chinese medicine practitioners and western medical physicians work together on cutting-edge clinical research in integrative and Chinese medicine.
We maintain close research collaborations with local, mainland China and international research institutions, and our research is published in leading academic journals such as Nature Communications, Brain, Behavior, and Immunity and the Canadian Medical Association Journal.
Imaging and Interventional Radiology
Imaging and Interventional Radiology is a fast-changing field that combines medical expertise with the latest technological developments in areas such as artificial intelligence, big data and machine learning to help doctors make more accurate diagnosis and design better treatments for patients. We offer graduate programmes in Diagnostic Imaging and Vascular & Interventional Radiology and operate research centres in MRI and Medical Image Computing.
As a student in our graduate programmes, you will work with a team of interdisciplinary clinical and research experts committed to helping you gain the deep technical expertise and advanced research skills you need to investigate topics like the relationship between diseases and scanning modalities, new tech-driven protocols, the proper methods to interpret clinical indications and how to better manage patients.
In addition to using state-of-the-art imaging equipment including 3T MRI systems and leveraging our research expertise in areas such as head and neck cancer, musculoskeletal imaging, liver disease, breast cancer and functional MRI, you will also have access to our pioneering Research Centre for Medical Image Computing (RC-MIC), which focuses on new techniques for medical image computing.
Please visit our website if it is your ambition to not only excel in medical imaging applications, but also to develop the ability to translate scientific findings into life-saving clinical applications.
Medical Sciences
The Division of Medical Sciences offers PhD Programmes in Clinical Oncology, Paediatrics, Psychiatry, and Medicine & Therapeutics. Our Clinical Oncology Department is renowned for its pioneering research in cancer genetics, tumour markers, and clinical drug trials, while our Department of Paediatrics’ research efforts centre on neonatology, allergy, clinical genetics, haematology and oncology, as well as sleep and respiratory medicine. In Psychiatry, our Department is recognised for coming up with new translational research themes that integrate multiple perspectives about psychiatric problems across areas like neurodegenerative and neurodevelopmental disorders, neuroimaging, neuromodulation treatment, substance abuse, circadian rhythm and sleep disorders.
Our Department of Medicine & Therapeutics – which covers all core subspecialties of internal medicine, including cardiology, clinical pharmacology, dermatology, endocrinology, gastroenterology and hepatology, geriatrics, hematology, infectious disease, nephrology, neurology, respiratory medicine, and rheumatology – supports a wide array of research projects across all aspects of medicine, from basic science, translational studies and clinical trials to qualitative research, health care policy and big data.
By joining one of our programmes, you will have the opportunity to work with some of Hong Kong’s most prominent doctors in the specialities listed below and develop the set of professional, scientific and human skills needed to succeed in medicine while benefitting from CU Medicine state-of-the-art facilities and cutting edge medical equipment.
Subject | Professor |
Gastroenterology | |
Peptic ulcer | |
Cardiovascular genetics | |
Lung cancer | |
Respiratory infections | |
Childhood allergy | |
Sleep disorders | |
Nasopharyngeal cancer | |
Ageing and cognitive impairment | |
Childhood sleep and respiratory disorders | |
Fibrosis research | |
Gastrointestinal cancer | |
Diabetes | |
Neurodegenerative disorders | |
Gastrointestinal microbiome |
More About Clinical Oncology
More About Medicine & Therapeutics
Microbiology
The study of microscopic organisms such as bacteria and viruses, microbiology integrates knowledge in biochemistry, physiology, cell biology, ecology, evolution and clinical aspects of microorganisms to investigate how to prevent, manage and cure infectious diseases across five man themes: Human Tumor Virology, Human Respiratory Viruses Theme, Antimicrobial Resistance and Antibiotic Stewardship, and Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Streptococcus pneumoniae and other Streptococci.
Our graduate programmes will empower you to explore the impact of microorganisms, design new treatments and investigate how to contain pandemic by giving you access to cutting-edge technology and state-of-the-art facilities and teaching laboratories while you work under the guidance of leading, multidisciplinary experts who are also conducting critical research on viruses and bacteria associated with human cancers, respiratory and diarrhoeal viruses, antimicrobial resistance, novel antimicrobial discovery and gut microbiome. As our teaching resources, research laboratories and clinical facilities are in close proximity to each other, you will be fully immersed in an inspiring community of academics, researchers, clinical and laboratory staff keen to share first-hand clinical data and collect specimens to support your research.
We are committed to servicing the population while pushing the boundaries of knowledge. Our research insights are widely published in leading publications and have directly led to significant changes in clinical practices and health policy. If you are an ambitious researcher with new ideas about microbiology, please contact us to discuss further your interests.
Nursing
The Graduate Division of Nursing at CU Medicine is the postgraduate research section of the Nethersole School of Nursing, which ranked 1st in Hong Kong, 2nd in Asia and 26th in the world in the 2019 QS World University Rankings. Our research programme is designed to equip nurses with the specialist knowledge, clinical expertise and leadership skills they need to take their career to the next level. Supported by four research centres such as Cochrane Hong Kong and a team of experienced post-doctoral fellows and research personnel, our research focuses on three main areas: cancer and palliative care; cardiovascular, metabolic and stroke care; and ageing, behavioural and mental wellness.
In addition to having access to the latest qualitative and quantitative analysis software to support your research agenda, you will be able to leverage our state-of-the-art basic science laboratory and genetic/genomic research facilities to integrate basic sciences into both your nursing research and nursing practice. You will also have the opportunity to work with around 20 leading researchers from our Faculty, many of whom have produced high impact research projects that have directly improved patients’ health, enhanced medical outcomes and reduced the socio-economic burdens of diseases, both here and abroad.
Every student admitted to our full-time PhD programme will receive a stipend of HK$17,330/month (and other associated money for conferences/ exchanges) while each Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme (HKPFS) awardee is entitled to around HK$25,800/month in 2019-20. Our School is the first nursing institution to admit PhD students via the highly competitive HKPFS.
Obstetrics and Gynaecology
The science of human life, Obstetrics & Gynaecology (O&G) focuses on two fundamental life journeys: from fertilisation to childbirth and from childhood to menopause. Dedicated to fetal and women’s wellbeing, we conduct innovative research to uncover new knowledge, design novel treatments and transform our insights into transformational medical solutions to help women live healthier lives. We are the only centre in Hong Kong accredited by both Royal College and Hong Kong College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists for training in O&G as well as all subspecialties.
Our PhD programme in O&G will equip you with advanced scientific training in research design, methodology, data analysis and result interpretation with a focus on advanced clinical and laboratory technologies to propel your career. Dedicated to pushing the frontiers of knowledge in O&G, you should be ready to engage into ground-breaking clinical, scientific and translational research in areas like Reproductive Medicine, Maternal Medicine, Fetal Medicine, Perinatal Medicine, Gynaecological Endoscopy, Gynaecological Oncology, Urogynaecology, and Paediatric and Adolescent Gynaecology.
Each year, we publish several ground-breaking and frequently cited papers in major high-impact journals in O&G and basic science, including New English Journal of Medicine, Journal of the American Medical Association, Lancet, Nature Medicine, Nature Communications, Human Reproduction Update, Human Reproduction, Fertility & Sterility, American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, British Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology and Diabetes Care. We also obtain many local, national and international grants from prestigious bodies like NIH, AoE, CRF, GRF, HMRF, ITF and NSFC.
Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences
The Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences delivers cutting-edge integrated training in both clinical and laboratory sciences in ophthalmology. We are committed to investigating eye diseases using in-house, state-of-the-art technologies and have established the CUHK Ophthalmic Research Centre in 2015 to coordinate and support the Department’s research. In addition to working with other leading international research facilities, we conduct clinical and community researches on glaucoma, vitreoretinal diseases, myopia and paediatric eye diseases, orbital diseases and ocular plastics as well as laboratory research on Artificial Intelligence, cellular and functional biology and genetics.
As a postgraduate student, you will have the opportunity to work with academic supervisors from our Faculty members who will help you craft a curriculum tailored to meet your goals, explore your interests and make a difference in the fast-changing field of ophthalmology and visual sciences. In addition to receiving both in-depth and multidisciplinary training based on research projects, you should be prepared to meet the basic requirements on course planning from the University.
Orthopaedics and Traumatology
For the past 35 years, the Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology has been delivering quality education programmes while working to find multidisciplinary solutions to clinical problems associated with the musculoskeletal system. Our research programme is designed for students with new ideas about how to integrate research with clinical applications to improve treatment in Precision Orthopaedics and Innovative Technologies (POINT); Sports Medicine and Regenerative Therapy (SMART) and Musculoskeletal Development, Health and Ageing Research (MDHAR).
In addition to working with prominent clinical and non-clinical scientists from our Faculty, you will have access to cutting edge clinical and research laboratories equipped with state-of-the-art facilities to investigate cell and molecular biology, histology, biomechanical and bone densitometry. Our research has been published in some of the world’s leading scientific publications, including Nature Medicine, Nature Communications, Advanced Science and specialty journals such as Biomaterials, Cell and Stem Cells, AJSM and JBJS.
Students can also get involved in projects supported by funding and research grants from the Theme-based Research Scheme (TRS), the Collaborative Research Fund (CRF) and the Innovation and Technology Fund (ITF) as well as the opportunity to collaborate with experts from across our extensive international network.
Pharmacy
Our MPhil and PhD programmes are designed to prepare graduates for a challenging career in basic or applied research in innovative medicine. Our patient-centric, multidisciplinary philosophy underpins our efforts to understand diseases, develop better drugs and enhance the effectiveness of drug-based therapies to improving outcomes and reduce costs.
Our research programme will inspire you to think of new ways to combine cutting-edge technology and bio-informatics tools to delve into emerging areas of pharmacology while combining the insights of economics and epidemiology to come up with transformational ways to develop, use and administer drugs to meet both medical and social needs. You should be prepared to think about fusing the insights of chemical technology and state-of-the-art analytical techniques to create new drugs, using pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic modelling to propose new dosages or leveraging healthcare economics and epidemiology to optimise cancer treatments as we challenge you to push the boundaries of knowledge.
Our research programme features extensive collaborations both locally with the Hospital Authority and major pharmaceutical companies and globally with institutions like Harvard Medical School and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Our graduates have landed academic and research jobs in Hong Kong, the United States, Europe, mainland China and Macau.
Public Health
As population ageing and globalisation continue unabated, it is imperative for healthcare systems worldwide to adapt to new medical challenges. The MPhil-PhD programme in Public Health promotes interdisciplinary studies in the field of public health and primary care while also helping students develop the research skills they need to explore these fundamental issues across the eight divisions of the Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care: Behavioral Health and Health Promotion, Biostatistics, Epidemiology, Family Medicine and Primary Health Care, Global Health and Humanitarian Medicine, Health System, Policy and Management, Infectious Diseases and Occupational and Environmental Health.
As a student intent of working on health protection, health improvement and health services delivery, you will learn to conduct independent research on topics of your interest. We have a wide spectrum of research areas across all aspects of public health and primary care, from biostatistics and bioinformatics in digital health development, epidemiology of chronic non-communicable diseases, HIV and sexual health, addiction and environmental health to evaluation of primary care models and outcomes, cancer screening in community and primary care settings, ageing and health care service, global health and climate change.
Working under the supervision of dedicated professionals who are committed to helping you succeed, you will also have the opportunity to directly experience the global aspects of public health by participating in our international collaboration activities and global research exchange programmes.
Surgery
The Department of Surgery is built upon a deep foundation of cutting-edge academic research. Located at the Prince of Wales Hospital, the Department offers postgraduate programmes in laboratory-based biomedical research, clinical outcome and statistics and bioengineering. We promote interdisciplinary training to help students develop the creative problem-solving skills they need to conduct multidisciplinary biomedical research and design new therapies to improve clinical outcomes.
Our postgraduate PhD or MPhil programmes focus on 3 main areas: Surgical Oncology (cancer genomics, tumour biology, new drug discoveries, precision medicine); Biomedical Engineering (medical devices/robots for surgery, endoscopic informatics, smart cancer screening and visceral biomechanics); and Translational Research (robotic endoscopic surgery, circulating tumour biomarkers, molecular imaging and nano-therapy). Working under the supervision of our inspiring researchers and clinician scientists, you will receive hands-on training in advanced methodologies, such as high-throughput sequencings, cancer bioinformatics, patient-derived organoids; xenografts and flexible surgical robotics.